Game-board.



7 N0. 809,502. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

N. T. HALE. GAME BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1903.

pay/w 12 7M Rw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON T. HALE, OF BALDVVINVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS; ASHLEY G. HALE ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID NELSON T. HALE, DECEASED.

GAME-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1s06.

To all whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, NELSON .T. I'IALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baldwinville, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garne- Boards, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts by which certain objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully pointed out in the claim and described in the accompanying drawings. 5

Figure 1 represents a plan of my improved game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section therethrough, taken on line A A, Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of two of the checkers used in playing the game, showing the two sizes and shapes of said checkers, as hereinafter described.

My invention is somewhat similar in apparatus and way of manipulating in playing the ame as an ordinary checker-board and chec ers} It is designed as an improve ment thereon; and it consists of a board marked off into squares similar to a checkerboard, (except in this board having two additional rows of squares,) so that the number of playing-squares in each transverse row will be equal:with a rectangular space instead of squares marked across each end, which is the goal or home-run in playing the game, receptacles being also formed in each side of the board to receive the checkers or men taken by the players, said checkers or men each being designated by a numeral or letter to indicate the score won by each player, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that others may better understand the construction and manipulation of' my said improved game, I will now proceed to describe it more in detail.

B represents the checker-boardv proper;

I I, the recessed receptacles extending longitudinally at each side thereof; E, the checkered surface marked off into light and dark squares similar to an ordinary checker-board; H H, (except as hereinbefore stated,) the rectangular-shaped surfaces marked transversely across each end outside of the checkered surface and termed the home-run in playing the game, each of said surfaces being thus indicated by the word Home, as is shown in the drawings. The checkered surface E, side'receptacles I I, and home-run H H are all upon a flush level plane, but are separated by the raised ribs J, each thus being a recessed surface, as is indicated in Fig. 2.

There are twenty-eight checkers employed in playing the game, fourteen on each side. One on each side, being marked G, 25, (indicated by the letter F,) is termed the captain and carries a value of twenty-five points. Another, marked S, (indicated by the letter G,) is termed the spy and carries no value in the game, simply serving as a check or blocker in playing the game, as it cannot take men neither can it be taken by the captain or his men. The two sets of men or privates in the game (indicated by the letter D) are marked numerically from 1 to 12 inclusive, and carry with them the value in number of points that their numbers indicate. In practice the checkers upon one side are designated by one color and those upon the other side by another color, and the color of the objective home of each set is the same and the rear playing-squares E and E are also colored to correspondthat is, the color of the rear row of the playing-squares of one set, the objective home, and the gameieces are the same. I also in practice pre er to make the two checkers termed the captain a little taller, as is indicated by Fig. 3, than the others, (indicated by Fig. 4 but I do not-limit myself thereto, as this also is not an essential feature. Each square is marked to correspond to the checker placed thereon in the osition indicated in Fig. 1. The players of greater value except the captain, it is to be observed, are placed in the rear, so that their capture by the opposin force will be retarded by those of less va ue.

Having described the apparatus, I will now describe the manner of playing the game. First, place the checkers, which We tain, having a value of twenty-five points, can take men from the other side or not, as is deemed advisable by the player, when the opportunity occurs, and he may be taken by any man upon the other side except the spy, he having no value in the game, as previously stated, except to block the game, or, in other words, to prevent any of the other men on. one side from taking those of the other side. He may be moved forward or back wherever the player can blockade the other side and otherwise assist the player, but cannot take a man or be taken, and is not to enter the homerun with the other men having value, but is to remain on the board and not to be moved after the other men of the same color have been placed in the home-run or in the side receptacles. Having noted these rules carefully, proceed with the game. First move with the captain, following with the other men, each side alternately in turn, as in the game of checkers, except in this game each man can move forward or back, as hereinbefore stated, as necessity demands, and men in the last row of squares can be taken if found in the way of those passing into the home-run. The object of the game is to reach the home-run upon the opposite side from each player as soon as possible and with as many men as is possible representing the largest numerical value. The game is won by the side holding the largest numerical value represented by the men in the homerun' and is placed to the credit of the side.

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Any number mutually agreed upon may be considered a game.

My improved game, as will be seen, is both interesting and instructive, as well as entertaining, being especially interesting to beginners in game-playing, and affords ample opportunity for study and skill for both beginners and experienced professionals.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a game apparatus, a board having a checkered surface, having rectangular spaces on each side and rectangular spaces on each end interposed between the spaces on the side, said end spaces being of different identity, each of the transverse rows of the checkered surface having playing-surfaces of equal number, the outer row at each end having identities differing from each other and the remaining rows, and a series of playing-pieces comprising two sets uniform as to marking, certain of said pieces carrying a valuation, and certain of said pieces having no valuation but acting as checks, said sets being of different identities but each set corresponding with an identity of one of the outer transverse rows of the checkered surface, and the identity of one of the rectangular end spaces.

NELSON T. HALE. [L.s.]

Witnesses:

E. V. ROBERTS, O. A. TAFT. 

